~~~

After much preparation, the day of the wedding arrives.

“This is ridiculous.”

Liu Jin’s words are not without merit. Even though the wedding will start in a few hours, the young child is not with his wife. He’s not even inside the main house. Instead, he’s, well...

“Now, now, Little Brother. It is tradition.”

Liu Jin glares at Xiao Nan as he grabs hold of the tiled roof to push himself up. He has already climbed all the way up to the fourth floor, but he’s still far from his goal. Meanwhile, Xiao Nan seems to have no problems climbing the massive structure that is the main house.

“Elder Brother, my young age may be showing, but I fail to see the point of this tradition,” Liu Jin says once they finally reach the top. His goal lies a few feet away.

A pair of red shoes.

“It is simple, Little Brother. My cute little cousin waits for you without any shoes to wear. Thus, it is up to the groom to find the shoes,” Xiao Nan says with mock seriousness as Liu Jin goes to pick them up. “The shoes cannot be hidden just anywhere. The difficulty the groom has in finding the shoes must equal the quality of the bride. My cousin is a fine bride, so having you climb to the top of the main house is as easy as I could make it.”

Liu Jin sighs but does not bother arguing.

The truth is, Xiao Nan did make this easy for him. It could have been much worse.

They could have put Xiao Fang in charge of hiding the shoes.

“We could have used Xiao Fang. In fact, he was quite eager to be chosen for this,” Xiao Nan says, echoing Liu Jin’s thoughts. “By the way, I heard what happened between the two of you.”

A moment of silence falls between. No one other than Liu Jin, Xiao Fang, and Elder Hui had been in that hallway, yet Liu Jin is not surprised to find Xiao Nan knows.

“… did I act rashly, Elder Brother?”

Xiao Nan considers his question for a second before shrugging. “Who knows? Perhaps. Perhaps not. This might be a good thing in its own way.”

“Elder Brother,” Liu Jin begins after some hesitation. “When I talked to Xiao Fang… Elder Hui was with him. He seemed to approve of the idea of annulling the marriage.”

Xiao Nan frowns. “That is… It is best if Little Brother doesn’t concern himself with that.”

“Elder Brother?”

“Some things are happening that Little Brother doesn’t know about. Some things are happening that even this Xiao Nan didn’t know about. Otherwise, I’d have never introduced Elder Hui to Little Brother. Regardless, they are not things Little Brother should worry about too much. Today is your wedding. It is fine to focus on that and nothing else.”

“If Elder Brother says so, then this Liu Jin will do so.”

The young child closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

“It is time I pick up my bride.”

~~~

Xiao Shuang waits for him on her bed. She wears a two-piece dress with long sleeves and a skirt that would doubtlessly trail behind her if she were standing up. The dress is of a deep crimson color with gold patterns trailing across its length. Her face is covered by a red veil. A small gasp escapes her lips upon seeing him. Immediately, a red and gold fan goes up to cover her face, leaving only her blue eyes visible through the veil.

Swallowing a little too loudly, Liu Jin approaches her with her shoes held in his hands. His face feels entirely too warm, doubtlessly from all the climbing Xiao Nan made him do. Yes, that sounds logical.

Taking a deep breath, Liu Jin kneels before her. Xiao Shuang extends her leg towards him in a manner that is almost shy, her hands pulling at her skirt to reveal her foot. It is small, bare, and really shouldn’t mean much.

Liu Jin’s face burns.

There are attendants around them. Liu Jin knows that much, yet at the moment, they might as well not exist. Liu Jin feels as if they don’t matter at all. The only two people in the room are him and Xiao Shuang. His hand almost trembles as he reaches out to grab her ankle.

Her skin is soft.

It should not be important. The minor detail should just be filed away at the back of his mind, yet he cannot put it aside. It is not the first time Liu Jin touches a female. He has helped his father with many female patients in the past. He has even seen some of them in various states of undress.

By comparison, this is not even worth talking about. It isn’t as though he is kissing Xiao Shuang or holding her against him. He is just putting on her shoes. It is tradition. Nothing more. The groom must put the bridal shoes on the bride’s feet. Doubtlessly, there is some deep meaning hidden behind the act, one which Liu Jin cares little for. As far as Liu Jin is concerned, this ritual is just another item on a checklist.

It feels intimate.

The shoe goes in. Liu Jin is not sure how long it takes him to put it on, merely that he breathes a sigh of relief once the task is done. Xiao Shuang’s foot goes down. Then she lifts the other one, and the process repeats itself.

Once both shoes are on her feet, Liu Jin extends his hand to her. Xiao Shuang grasps it as she rises from her bed. Usually, the groom would take the bride to his home, where the wedding ceremony would be held.

However, this is not a normal ceremony.

For Liu Jin to take Xiao Shuang to his home is nothing less than laughable. It is unthinkable for the daughter of the Xiao Sect’s Patriarch to marry in the small clinic he calls home. Liu Jin loves his home, but he has no trouble understanding and accepting this.

Instead of being held in his home, the wedding is to be held in the main house. Thus, Liu Jin only has to lead his bride to the first floor where everything is ready. The main hall has been decorated for the occasion. Red, naturally, is abundant, as is proper for weddings. There is not a single dark color in sight. Images of dragons and phoenixes decorate the walls, the hopes that the groom proves to be a dragon among men and the bride a phoenix among women.

As Liu Jin and Xiao Shuang enter the room, the eyes of all the guests turn to them. It is not just those who belong to the Xiao Sect who are present. Prestigious people from all over Eastern Port City have been invited.

Once the bride and the groom are in their proper place, the ceremony begins. Words are being said, but Liu Jin is only half listening. Thankfully, there have been many rehearsals. By now, he could go through the whole ceremony in his sleep and not miss a step.

Liu Jin kowtows three times. One to the Heavens. One to his wife’s family. One to his bride.

It is only after this that Xiao Shuang lowers her fan. His hands reach towards her veil and lift it, revealing her face to him for the first time that day. The nuptial wine is next. He and Xiao Shuang drink from the nuptial cups, which are tied by a red string. They cross their arms to exchange cups and drink once more.

The attendants give each of them a knife. Liu Jin cuts a lock of his hair, and Xiao Shuang does the same. The chief attendant then ties the locks together and places them in a small red bag. Like that, the two are joined. Two beings who were once separate are now one.

They are married.

~~~

The wedding banquet has lobster, chicken, fish, duck, and many other delicious-looking dishes.

Liu Jin would like nothing more than to eat. Unfortunately, tradition has to be kept. The guests are all arranged in tables of ten, and Liu Jin must go around and greet each of them. Such is the duty of the groom. Thankfully, Xiao Nan is merciful enough to accompany him on this task.

“The next table has the leaders of the Choi and Du Clans. Both of them are fairly wealthy and subordinate to our Xiao Sect,” the older teen explains in a low voice as they make their way to the table. “Their sons are with them.”

“They are Core Disciples, right? I remember that from the notes.”

Liu Jin had to memorize the names of all the important guests. It wouldn’t do for him to make a fool of himself with a careless remark.

The moment they get within five feet of the table, Liu Jin and Xiao Nan slap big grins on their faces. There are greetings and laughs. Xiao Nan makes a joke. Liu Jin follows it up with a compliment.

Then there is drinking.

Lots of drinking.

It would be improper for the groom not to drink. On this, at least, Liu Jin is granted some reprieve. He can easily purge impurities from his body, and alcohol is no different. The wine being served is of high quality, but he will not get drunk from it unless he wants to.

This seems to earn him some respect from the others.

“The next table will be difficult,” Xiao Nan says as they make their way towards it.

“Why would it… oh.” Liu Jin stops talking the moment he realizes which table they are heading to next and just who is sitting in it.

Yun Han.

The Young Master of the Yun Sect, the only Sect that can rival the Xiao Sect in Eastern Port City. It is natural for him to be here. The Xiao Sect couldn’t hold an event like this and not invite the Yun Sect. It would be extremely disrespectful. Similarly, the Yun Sect couldn’t possibly ignore the invitation. They needed to send someone important enough to avoid offending the Xiao Sect.

From the beginning, it was a given that the Patriarch of the Yun Sect would not leave his home. As Liu Jin understands it, the man has been in a sensitive stage of his cultivation for quite some time now. Still, Liu Jin is not particularly happy to see Yun Han.

After all, Yun Han is the one who almost killed him.

It happened a long time ago; over a year before he accepted Nine-Headed Snake God’s trial. A simple altercation had come a hair’s breadth away from ending Liu Jin's life. It wasn’t that Liu Jin had done anything particularly rude back then. Yun Han had just acted in a way that was permissible to him.

It is impossible for that scenario to repeat itself as things are now.

Liu Jin is no longer a mere Outer Disciple. He is married to the daughter of the Xiao Sect’s Patriarch. Yun Han cannot afford to be so reckless again. Still, it doesn’t make the prospect of interacting with him any more appealing.

However, Yun Han is not even the worst part of that table.

“Doctor Wu!” The name slips out from Xiao Nan’s mouth as he greets the man. To Liu Jin, it is like hearing a curse. There he is. Fat, balding, and with a smile that is as fake is his vaunted skill.

Doctor Wu Gou.

The man behind most of the awful rumors regarding his father. The man who tried his best to damage his father’s reputation since he couldn’t hope to compete with him in medical skill.

“Ah, Xiao Nan! Liu Jin!” Doctor Wu says, rising to greet them. “What a pleasure it is to see you! Congratulations! Congratulations!”

Liu Jin’s face hurts from trying to keep the grin on his face. It hurts even more once he has to greet Yun Han.

Then there’s Doctor Wu’s son, Wu Yan.

He is Yun Han’s friend and someone who beat Liu Jin more than once when he was a child. To this day, Liu Jin regrets that the chance to beat Wu Yan slipped through his fingers thanks to Yun Han’s intervention. While he knows beating up Doctor Wu’s son wouldn’t have fixed anything, it would have made him feel good.

“It is so nice to see young people marry,” Doctor Wu says with a big smile on his face. “Please, be sure to visit me when you need someone to check the health of your children. I’ll even give you a discount!”

As if he’d ever let any child of his near this man!

“Oh, please, Doctor Wu!” Xiao Nan laughs as his hand casually falls on Liu Jin’s shoulder. “You know these two are too young to be thinking about that stuff!”

“You know me. Always thinking ahead. That’s why I’m the Number One Doctor in Eastern Port City!”

There are many things Liu Jin wants to say to that. Thankfully, the doors open before he gets the chance. At once, all conversation ceases. Liu Jin and Xiao Nan turn around to see what is going on.

She is beautiful.

Deep black hair and skin like the purest snow. Ruby red lips and eyes like emeralds. Her beauty is such that even the elegant room around her suddenly doesn’t look like much. It feels as if a single sorrowful sigh from her could drive men to tear their hearts out just to see her smile.

Her Qi is disguised, preventing them from feeling its true magnitude, yet it drapes itself over the room like a cloak.

In Liu Jin’s mind, there is no doubt as to who this person is.

Meng Yue.

At once, Liu Jin and Xiao Nan rush to greet her. Doctor Wu and Yun Han are left behind, forgotten. By the time they reach her, Xiao Zheng and Xiao Shuang are also there along with a few of the Elders.

“Lady Meng Yue,” Xiao Zheng says, taking the lead. He bows his head to her. “What a pleasure it is for you to grace our Xiao Sect with your presence. I did not imagine someone from the Divine Frozen Palace would visit our meager ceremony. If I had known Lady Meng Yue would be here, I’d have prepared a far grander feast.”

“Raise your head, Xiao Zheng of the Xiao Sect. Know that I find your meager efforts to be acceptable,” Meng Yue says. Her voice is inexplicably pleasing to the ear. “I learned of your daughter’s wedding and thought I should bring gifts for the bride and the groom.”

Hushed whispers rise from the guests. Someone from the Divine Frozen Palace is bringing gifts to the wedding of Xiao Zheng’s daughter. It is huge news, no matter how they look at it.

“For young Xiao Shuang, I have brought this necklace. The gem inside it is Purple-Veined Empyrean Crystal.”

More than one person gasps.

Empyrean Crystal. It is an extremely valuable material, usually only found in places where the Dragon Veins are so strong that the energy overflowing from them crystallizes. However, the necklace given to Xiao Shuang is not just any Empyrean Crystal but Purple-Veined Empyrean Crystal!

Everyone in the room is blown away. Empyrean Crystal of such high quality is so valuable a person could buy the entirety of Eastern Port City with a single stone. Now one of those precious stones hangs around Xiao Shuang’s neck!

“This Xiao Shuang is honored to receive such a gift,” Xiao Shuang says, bowing her head low. Meng Yue nods, acknowledging Xiao Shuang’s words before moving in front of Liu Jin with ethereal grace.

“For the groom, I have brought this knife, made with the claws of a Ravenous Silver Wolf.”

Another round of hushed whispers rises. The knife Meng Yue presents Liu Jin is finely crafted. Elegant and perfect for someone of Liu Jin’s size. However, it is the name of the beast it is made from that calls the most attention. It is known that Ravenous Silver Wolves are powerful predators who are hard to hunt down.

Although not as valuable as Xiao Shuang’s necklace, the gift presented to Liu Jin is of undeniably high-quality.

“This Liu Jin is honored by your gift, Lady Meng Yue.”

“Indeed, it is a perfectly good gift. Although perhaps my gift falls short on this occasion; for surely, there can be no greater gift than marrying young Xiao Shuang. I am certain it will be the greatest accomplishment of your life.”

Liu Jin’s eyebrow twitches.

This woman…

He definitely doesn’t like her.

~~~